


The Man With A Gun, The Boy Without The Will, The Father With Fear

by Gemini_00



Series: Batfamily Shorts [14]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Batfamily, Batfamily Feels, Bruce Wayne Feels, Bruce Wayne addressing his children's mental and physical health while ignoring his own, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gun Violence, Hostage Situations, Mental Health Issues, Other, Suicidal Thoughts, Tim Drake Feels, Tim Drake-centric, What's my kink?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 15:52:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17707196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemini_00/pseuds/Gemini_00
Summary: Tim thought this was just another attempt at using a Wayne kid for money, but this man has no use for money.





	The Man With A Gun, The Boy Without The Will, The Father With Fear

The teenage CEO felt the gun against the back of his head, the safety was clicked off. The man was a simple thug, lucky but not smart. Tim already knew what the plan was for Tim to stand in front of his adopted father while demanding his father transfer money over into an ‘hidden’ account.Then he’d probably pull the trigger or knock them out. He seems to hate Bruce alot, but he’s more gentle with Tim due to him being a kid. He’ll probably just knock Tim out.

“Now, get in the basket,” The man dressed as the janitor demanded. He wasn’t very good at this. Not at all. The knot was loose, Tim could probably slip a hand out with minimal rope burn, “Wait. Nod if you can breathe.”

The gag annoyed him but hardly prevented breathing. He didn’t tie it tight enough to even cut into the edges of his mouth. He nodded before crawling into the small space of the cart. It wasn’t a comfortable fit at all. Tim could barely move and his elbow had a bang against it just from being too tight. It could fit Damian though, atleast for a little bit longer. Tim will have to remember this type in case anyone needs to go undercover with Robin. He can feel himself moving through the hall, hear the gossiping from his employees and oh, Janet is pregnant. Possibly. He’ll have to send her a card if that is true.

They abrupt stop and sound of beeping tells Tim that the man is in Bruce’s office. He can hear his adopted father on the phone then rolls forward and the door clicks shut.

“Just tell me if I’m in your way,” Bruce told the man.

“Won’t need to Mister Wayne,” The thug snapped. The little latch clicks open and Tim is pulled out. The gun is pressed to his head again.

Bruce stared at the scene, worry feigning his face. Batman is still a man, and Bruce will never feel comfortable with someone he loves having a gun pointed at them. 

“Alright,” Bruce stands up, “Lets just talk about this. How much money do you want?”

“You think this is just about money,” The man laughed, “Do you know who I am?”

Bruce would never forget a face, so when he shakes his head no then that means he doesn’t. Tim feels the barrel shove into his head harder. It’s uncomfortable and just reminds him a bit too much of a pit crazed Jason to be comfortable. 

“My son was involved in one of you fancy shmancy galas,” The man snapped, “The one with all the rich folk and the fucking champagne. December fifth, last year.”

Tim remembered it well enough. Isaiah was Dick’s age. Scared. They worked for Dent and were just supposed to cause a riot. They were going to use Bruce and Dick as hostages. Tim can remember the gun shaking in Isaiah’s hand. The way Dick talked to him using that friendly cop voice, the way that Isaiah got caught in the crossfire for a bullet meant for Dick or Bruce.

Bruce breathed out, “Isaiah Johnson. That was your son’s name, yes?”

“Tell me, Mister Wayne. What makes you boy’s life more than mine? Why you manipulated my son into-”

Tim could get out of his hold in five seconds. Make the man drop the gun, take him down and then have Bruce call the police. Wouldn’t that look suspicious though? Waynes can only escape danger so many times before people look into it a little bit further. 

“I didn’t. I didn’t tell him to do anything Mr. Johnson. I didn’t force him into that situation or push him on stage or fire that gun,” Bruce told him, “But I know that your son wasn’t the street punk the media wrote him out to be. He was a hero.”

“He wasn’t meant to be a hero,” the man screamed, “He was meant to be alive. And you, with your damn money took that from me. So I’m going to take something from you. Get on the ground.”

He shoved Tim harshly. Tim could see Bruce fiddling with the cuff link, likely hitting the button that alerts the family of civilian endangerment. But that didn’t give him a ton of time. If the family doesn’t get there in time then Tim is going to have to take this guy out. A guy that could have been Bruce if Tim hadn’t stepped in when Jason died. He wasn’t a bad guy, just broken.

“Tim, it’s going to be okay,” Bruce parroted the same word Dick told Isaiah right before he died. Bruce looked at the man again,“Your son wouldn’t want this. Please. From one father to another.”

“I’m not a father anymore,” The widow yelled. Tim flinched from his place on the ground, but he yelled. That meant people would hear him. God, Tim hopes not. A stressed gunman around a bunch of civilians is not what they want.

“He’s just a boy,” Bruce begged, “Not even seventeen. Just a boy.”

“I’m not heartless, Mister Wayne,” The gunman choked out, “I’m going to let you say goodbye to your boy then I’m going to shoot him in the head. It’ll be faster than the way Isaiah died, choking on his blood.”

God, Tim felt his eyes watering. He didn’t think he’d ever become use to death. Not in this way. Logically, even without being a vigilante, life in Gotham meant death. It would always be there. 

“Tim, it’s going to be okay, son,” Bruce told him. But Tim could see it in his eyes, this scared Bruce alot. Bruce was giving him the okay to take him down or Bruce was going to take him down, “Tim, I love you, alright? Got it, kid? There’s not a thing you can do that wouldn’t make me proud.”

Translation: It’s okay to compromise your identity.

But was it? Wasn’t Batman everything? Tim thought. Batman needed a Robin though. Batman technically already had a Robin. So if Tim were to just…

The sound of the bullet snapping into place jolted him into reality, the sound of the gun cocking.

Jesus, Tim thought, Now is not that time for the self loathing to come into play.

“Alright kid,” the voice of the widow shook, “Just close your eyes okay? Don’t be scared. It’ll be over soon.”

Tim tensed his body, eyes closing. In five seconds he was going to spring into action. The man hadn’t even noticed that he’d slipped out of his binds. It’ll be easy. It should be fine. Tim wants to live, right? 

“God forgive me,” The man prayed behind him. 

1

2

3

4

Somehow he can’t move. He’s paralyzed by his own mind because maybe Tim Drake played his part long enough.

5

And the bullet goes off but it shoots somewhere else. Glass is shattered around him and Bruce is on top of him, clutching him tightly. At first, Tim thought he was shaking but it was Bruce. Bruce holding and shaking because Tim didn’t get up to fight back. Tim was going to take the bullet right in front of Bruce. 

The Red Hood hit the man that was thrown across the room with the butt of his gun. There’s a few bullet holes in his jacket that would have killed him if not for the klevar. Tim can already see Jason’s shiteating grint that Alfred remarks as cheeky, “Sorry for running late. There was a line at the chili dog truck.”

He grapples away right as security breaks through the door. The officer cuffing the man immediately and reading his rights which will have to be read again anyways. The others surround Tim and Bruce with a hurry. Their names flying out of their mouths asking questions about what happened and if they were alright.

But all Tim sees is the heavy eyes of Bruce weighing down on him.

 

“I’m calling Dinah,” Bruce snapped when they got home. Their day had been filled with reports to the police, a check in with Leslie, and an hour long conference call with their attorney.

“Bruce,” Tim yelled, “I know you’re angry but that doesn’t me-”

“Angry? Tim, you think I’m angry. I’m scared,” Bruce voice screamed. The thing about Bruce and his emotional constipation is that when he lets open the gates, he often sounds one way but means another, “My teenage fucking son knows how to disarm a man in five seconds flat. A man like that would have gone down in three. Yet you sat there, you were going to let my son be taken away from me.”

Tim feels the guilt take over. This was worse than any cold shoulder Alfred could ever give him. He felt so selfish. How could he just let Bruce watch him die, by a gun of all things.

“It was just an off day,” Tim answered, “I’m sorry- I’ll make it up to you.”

“No,” Bruce shook his head before placing his harsh hands on Tim’s shoulders, “You’re going to see Dinah and you’re going to talk about whatever is going on in that big brain of yours. Talk to her. Talk to me. Talk to Dick. Talk to the guy at the coffee shop line. You’re going to talk and we are going to figure this out because I am not losing another son.”

This was big for Bruce, which meant it was big for Tim. If Bruce, the Dark Knight, honestly thought talking would be the best coping mechanism then Tim would try. He’d try to get better for Bruce.

“Looks like Batman needs Red Robin,” Tim attempted to joke.

“Bruce Wayne needs his son.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not good at writing Tim, and while he is not my favorite Batboy, all Batchildren deserves the same amount of love and respect. It's just that the author is not very good at portraying them.
> 
> Comments make the world go round
> 
> Please support this wonderful Batfamily/Redhood fan series where I've gathered my inspiration for Damian Wayne and Jason Todd. Seriously they are Ismahawk level good  
> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq-0ZJeZQ99fS8CiF6nBlgg
> 
> and please support their Kickstart by donating even a dollar and share with your friends! They need it or we won't get a season two
> 
> http://bit.ly/redhoods2
> 
> Comments make the world go round.


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